


Fatherhood

by lbk_princen



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Adoptive Parents - Freeform, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Chronic Illness, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Gen, oh geez how do i tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26001691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lbk_princen/pseuds/lbk_princen
Summary: When Izumi agreed to take on the Elric brothers as apprentices, Sig had some concerns. His concerns were, in order: was Izumi healthy enough to be responsible for two young boys? Would the boys take well to her attitude? And finally, was she emotionally ready to have children in the house after everything she’d been through?
Relationships: Izumi Curtis/Sig Curtis, Sig Curtis & Alphonse Elric, Sig Curtis & Edward Elric
Comments: 29
Kudos: 107





	1. Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> i saw some fanart of Sig playing with the brothers and it made me ;~; so i had to write out some of my feelings about their relationship. this is what i cranked out in an afternoon - i have more ideas so if i end up writing more this might turn into a multi-chapter thing but for now: enjoy!

When Izumi agreed to take on those little country boys as apprentices, Sig had some concerns. His concerns were, in order: was Izumi healthy enough to be responsible for not just the safety of, but the education of, two young boys? Would the boys take well to her attitude, and if they didn’t, what would they do? And finally, was she emotionally ready to have children in the house after everything she’d been through?

In the end, Sig kept these concerns mostly to himself. He trusted his wife - she was the smartest and strongest person he’d ever met, after all. If she said she could handle it, then Sig would accept that and do whatever she needed of him.

Sig’s first impression of the boys was that they were energetic and naive, as kids should be. He sat quietly on the train beside Izumi as the boys badgered her about alchemy and her home and yammered on and on about how exciting all of this was. Their youth was refreshing to be around.

At one point, the older brother, Edward, rounded on Sig. “What about you? Are you an alchemist too, Mr…” He trailed off at the realization that he’d never learned the man’s name. Both brothers fidgeted quietly as they looked at him, clearly unsure of themselves.

“Call me Sig,” he said. It came out gruffer than he intended. “Not an alchemist. Just a butcher.”

“Oh.” Edward frowned, seemingly disappointed by that answer. He didn’t say a word to Sig the rest of the ride, talking only to his brother and Izumi. 

Sig tried not to take it personally, especially with the way Alphonse kept glancing at him with wide eyes. He knew he could have an intimidating presence, especially for children, so it was understandable if it would take some time for them to warm up to him.

When the four of them disembarked from the train in Dublith, Izumi passed all their luggage to Sig with a kiss on his cheek and told him she would be home for dinner. He nodded, and as he shouldered the bags he turned to the Elric brothers.

“Stay sharp, and good luck, boys,” Sig told them.

Alphonse nodded, again with that wide-eyed look, while Edward shot back an uncertain grin. 

“Thanks,” the brothers said in tandem.

In the month that the boys spent on the island, Sig had some preparations to do.

“Where will the boys stay, if they make it back?” he’d asked his wife.

“We’ll make the other room ready for them,” Izumi had replied dismissively.

Right. The other room. The one neither of them had set foot in since the night Sig had found her bleeding on the floor with the pile of mangled flesh she’d made in an attempt to revive the child she lost. The child  _ they _ lost.

When Sig put his hand on the doorknob he half-expected it to be rusted shut, but it opened when he pulled, even if the hinges made a big fuss about it. Everything inside was exactly as they’d left it. The crib that Sig had built in the corner, the dresser up against the wall, the bins of toys tucked away and dusty with age. Sig had done his best to scrub the blood and chalk out of the floorboards, but a faint pattern remained, outlining the event that had taken place there eight years before.

He sighed, seeing the room. The memories brought with them the ache of an old wound, but in the end they were just that - memories. 

In the month that the boys spent on the island, Sig replaced the stained floorboards, repainted the walls, oiled the creaky hinges, dismantled the crib (he couldn’t bring himself to throw it away, and though Izumi chastised him for his sentimentality, she did nothing to prevent him from storing it in the attic) and gave away the toys to local children. When the renovations were done, he outfitted the room with two single beds and a bookshelf, which he left for Izumi to fill with an eclectic combination of picture books and alchemical texts. The day before the month was up, Sig held his wife to his chest and kissed the top of her head.

“You’re sure about this?” he asked her gently.

“Of course I am,” she retorted, always the spitfire. “I wouldn’t have agreed if I wasn’t sure. And besides, it’ll be nice, finally having kids running around.”

Sig only hummed in reply. Maybe she was right. Maybe his concerns were unfounded, and the Elrics would have a healing effect on the atmosphere of their home. Maybe then they wouldn’t want to leave it so much.

When the boys came home for the first time, their hair was in knots and their clothes were filthy; they were sweaty and covered in scrapes and bumps. But they were as energetic as they had been back in Resembool, back on the train, and Sig felt a smile grace his face as he heard them thunder through the hallway before they appeared in the kitchen where he stood. They froze when they saw him, and he set down the knife he’d been using to chop vegetables.

“I see you made it out alive,” Sig observed.

“Of course we did,” Edward said boastfully. “It’ll take more than a dumb island to kill us.”

“You thought we were going to die on the fifth day, brother,” Alphonse giggled. He still seemed a bit shy in Sig’s presence, but he had at least relaxed enough to needle his brother.

Edward’s face went red. “I was being realistic, at the time!  _ You’re _ the one who was whining about wanting a real bed all the time!”

Before Al had a chance to defend himself, Izumi appeared behind them and took them each firmly by the arm.

“I said wash up for lunch, ingrates. The bath is this way,” she instructed, dragging them both away while they complained.

Sig resumed the food prep, and as he listened to the arguing and splashing several rooms away, he decided maybe his wife was right. This would be nice.


	2. Pancakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that was faster than i expected o_o  
> the inspiration for this fic started coming and won't stop coming lmao  
> I see this chapter being within two weeks of the brothers moving in

It was lunchtime in the Curtis household, and Sig had put Mason on shop duty while he prepared a meal for his wife and her ravenous pupils. They went through food so much faster since the boys arrived, and Sig would likely have to double either his grocery outings or acquisitions, going forward.

“Teacher, can we have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow?” Alphonse asked eagerly as he stabbed into his potatoes.

Izumi gave a lazy flick of her fingers in Sig’s direction. “I don’t know why you’re asking me. I only cook dinner.”

Al turned to Sig, hesitance on his face. “Um, can we please have pancakes tomorrow, Mr. Sig?”

“You can help me make them if you like,” Sig replied.

Al brightened at that, and he nudged Edward’s arm beside him. “Yeah! Brother, let’s help make pancakes!”

“Why should I have to help? He said he’d do it,” Ed grumbled.

Izumi stabbed her knife into her meat with enough force to rattle the table, startling the brothers. “If that’s going to be your attitude,” she said sweetly. “Then only people who help will get to have pancakes.”

Sig loved that woman.

Edward fussed and complained, then Izumi tossed out the phrase ‘equivalent exchange’ and it devolved into an argument between the three of them about alchemic principles and cooking and laws of the universe that Sig didn’t even try to keep up with. In his head, he was mentally tallying the contents of their pantry to see what ingredients he would need to buy tonight before the shops closed.

The next morning, when Sig got up and left his and Izumi’s room, he paused in the hallway when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw the boys’ bedroom door was cracked open, and the Elric brothers were peering out at him cautiously. He nodded at them and gestured for them to follow him to the kitchen.

He tied on his apron and the three of them got to measuring and mixing right away. He was somewhat surprised at how easily the brothers followed his instructions, but after thinking about it, he supposed he shouldn’t be. They had to have a great measure of discipline and focus in order to be alchemists at their age, and studying under Izumi would only strengthen those qualities.

When Edward smacked the front of Alphonse’s shirt in order to leave a flour-covered handprint and then immediately looked challengingly at Sig like he expected a reprimand, Sig only said, “Try and keep the flour in the bowl, Edward.” They were still just kids, after all. Ed scoffed at him, but did refrain from more horseplay, so Sig let it slide.

By the time they had a full stack of fluffy golden pancakes, all three of them had a little bit of flour or batter clinging to them somewhere. More the brothers by far, but Sig’s apron had not gotten away unscathed.

“You did good work, boys,” Sig praised them, ruffling their hair as he did. 

“Thank you, Sig,” Alphonse chirped with a bright grin. Edward grumbled something, but his cheeks were tinged pink with the attention.

“Better go wake Izumi so she can eat with us,” Sig said, patting them on the backs this time.

“But she didn’t help us,” Edward protested. “She said it herself: if you want pancakes, you have to help make them!”

Sig glanced at their plate of food. “Do you really think the three of us can eat all that on our own?”

“What about equivalent exchange?” Al asked. He didn’t seem agitated like his brother, just confused.

“Let me tell you something, boys,” Sig said, and he gathered them close to him. Alphonse waited patiently, expectantly, but Edward was still huffy and defiant. Sig glanced between both of them, and then said quietly, like it was a secret: “The laws of alchemy might teach you differently, but sometimes generosity is more important than equivalence.”

“So even though Teacher didn’t help us with the pancakes, it’s better to share than to keep it just for ourselves?” Al asked thoughtfully.

Sig smiled. “The excess would go to waste, otherwise.”

“I guess that’s logical,” Edward muttered.

“Glad we’re in agreement. Now go wake her, before the pancakes get cold.”

The boys scampered off, and Sig straightened up to set the table.

Once everyone was settled at the table, Sig began distributing the pancakes. Izumi tried to refuse, citing her statement from the night before. “I won’t be a hypocrite; it would set a bad example for them,” she said, shooting her husband a disapproving look.

“It’s okay, Teacher,” Alphonse said before Sig could contradict her. “We made so much that we can’t eat all of it ourselves, so we’re sharing it with you.”

Izumi shook her head and let out a fond sigh. “Well, it _is_ rude to turn away a gift,” she allowed with a smile. “Thank you, boys. Thank you, sweetheart.”

She leaned over in her chair to give Sig a kiss on the cheek, and he happily leaned in to receive it. Edward reacted with fake gagging noises, and the rest of breakfast went off without a hitch.


	3. Fishing Trip

For the first month of the boys’ apprenticeship, Izumi’s health had been on a slow decline. Sig attributed it to the fact that she was moving around so much more, and the kids just seemed to have a knack for raising her blood pressure. Sig tried to tell her to rest more, but she ended up snapping at him one night, which she rarely did.

“I’m sorry, Siggy, I know you’re only worried, but I’ll be fine,” she reassured him after. The dark bruises under her eyes contrasted against the pallor of her face said otherwise.

When she coughed all through the night and woke up choking on blood just before dawn, he knew she wasn’t fine.

Sig patiently rubbed her back as she retched into the pail they kept at their bedside for this express purpose. When she was finished, she curled around the bucket and let her head hang.

“Should I call the doctor?” Sig asked gently as he continued rubbing her back in slow circles.

“For what?” Izumi retorted between labored breaths. “So he can measure all my vitals and determine, once again, that there’s nothing more he can do?”

Sig sighed through his nose. “Let me get you some water. You’re in bed today.”

“But what about-”

“No training,” Sig said firmly, predicting her argument. “You need rest. Let me worry about the boys; they could use a break as well.”

Izumi sighed in defeat, and another feeble cough wracked her frame. Sig stood and went to the door, only to pause when he heard the rapid patter of small feet scurrying away. He opened the door and peered out into the hallway to see the Elrics hurriedly shoving each other back into their room. Sig managed to catch Edward’s eye - the boy's face flashed with the recognition that they'd been caught - just before the door shut forcefully behind them, and muffled, heated whispers broke out from inside the room.

Sig shook his head, deciding that he’d deal with them later, and proceeded to retrieve water, medication, and some light salted crackers for his wife.

Taking care of Izumi was never something Sig resented, and she had finally stopped apologizing to him after about a year of him trying to make that as clear as possible. Silently he wiped her mouth clean and took the pail away to rinse it while she took her medication. The sun rose as he made breakfast, and eventually the Elric brothers crept into the kitchen to hesitate by the door.

Without looking at them, Sig said, “You can have a seat, boys. Food’ll be ready soon.”

The brothers nodded, uncharacteristically silent, and took their places at the table.

Ordinarily, Sig would return to his wife’s side and eat with her in bed, but he couldn’t leave the kids at the table, uncertain and alone. So he portioned out their plates and sat with them. They thanked him quietly for the food and began to eat.

After a few minutes, Al mumbled, “Is Teacher going to be okay? We heard her coughing, and…"

"You were spying," Sig said.

Neither brother met his eye. Al hung his head sheepishly while Ed shifted restlessly in his seat.

"It's rude to listen at other people's doors," Sig scolded them gently.

The brothers mumbled apologetically. Their curiosity on its own wasn't something to be punished, but respect for privacy was important, and the way that they had scuttled off when they'd heard Sig coming proved that they were aware on some level that it was wrong, so Sig left it there.

Another few minutes of quiet eating passed, then Alphonse spoke up again. "We know that Teacher's not healthy, but you didn't answer me… will she be okay?"

“She will,” Sig assured him in his deep, rumbling voice. “She just needs to rest. No training today.”

The brothers glanced at each other and then Edward glared at Sig with surprising ferocity. “You can tell us, you know, if she’s dying,” he said bluntly. “We’re not babies.”

“I know,” Sig replied. “But her condition isn’t lethal.” Though he didn't know the specifics, he knew they were orphans, so some loss of innocence was to be expected. The bracing expression on Ed's face was that of a child who had seen death before, even if he didn't fully understand it. 

The boys went back to picking at their food, not really eating anymore. Sig didn’t blame them.

“Will she ever get better?” Al asked hesitantly.

Sig wished he were better at tact. "No," he said truthfully. "It can be managed, but it will never go away fully."

“She sounded in a lot of pain,” Ed mumbled to himself.

It took Sig a long moment to compose a response for that. He had never had to explain Izumi's condition to anyone else before; either she had been there to speak for herself, or a simple  _ she's ill  _ had been enough to change the topic. He knew he couldn't tell them the truth about what had happened to her (not only was it horrifying and illegal, it wouldn't be right for them to hear it from him) so he went for something vague and optimistic.

“It’s her pain to carry, but the people who love her will help as much as they can."

Ed stared at him, frowning. There was something going on behind the boy's eyes, some conclusion he was drawing that Sig wasn't privy to.

“And you love her the most, right Sig?” Al asked. There was a sort of wonder in his eyes, something soft but eager and curious too.

Sig reached over to ruffle Al’s hair. “That’s right. Now, eat up. We’re going to go fishing today.”

“Fishing?” Ed repeated. Whatever realization he'd been having was left behind as he huffed and picked at his food some more. “But we know how to do that already. It’s so boring.”

“Eat,” Sig repeated.

Ed petulantly shoved his toast in his mouth and glared at Sig as he chewed. The man did his best to conceal his amusement.

While the brothers did dishes after breakfast, Sig made sure Izumi would have everything she needed while they were out of the house. He ensured the phone was within reach from the bedside, and put a covered plate of sandwiches next to the phone for when she got hungry. He filled a pitcher of water and placed that nearby as well.

He asked her if she wanted him to stay, and she brushed him off like he knew she would.

“You’re right, the boys could use some fun,” she said, handkerchief crumpled in her hand from the last bout of coughs. “Don’t worry about me.”

“You’ll call the doctor if it gets worse?”

“Yes, dear. And I’ll send Mason for you if I do.”

Satisfied with that, Sig kissed her tenderly, and after she declined his offer for anything else, he went to the shed to get his fishing supplies. 

Burdened with rods and tackle, Sig and the Elrics made their way down to the lake, where a familiar little rowboat was waiting for them.

Ed and Al had matching queasy expressions as they stood on the dock while Sig untied the boat.

“You’re not just going to dump us on the island again, are you?” Ed asked, pointing to Yock island in the distance.

“No. Though you did a good job, surviving on your own. Most folks would’ve given up.”

The brothers puffed out their chests with pride, and at Sig’s direction hopped down into the boat. Al immediately took to looking over the side and swirling his hand through the water.

“Eww, brother, look!” 

Sig turned to see Al trying to shove a slimy length of water weeds in Edward’s face, while the elder brother wrestled the younger’s arms to try and keep the weeds away.

“Stop it, Al! You’re going to tip us!” Ed gasped as the boat rocked from all their moving and shoving.

Sig put his foot down onto the other seat to steady the dingy. “Boys!” he barked.

The brothers froze, Edward on top of Alphonse and gripping his wrist to keep away the fistful of weeds. They quickly released each other and sat up, Al tossing the plant over his shoulder and sending Sig a sheepish smile.

“Sorry, Sig.”

Edward crossed his arms and kicked Al in the leg. “Yeah, whatever.”

"Ow! Brothe _ -er!" _

“No more fighting,” Sig warned as he settled into the boat across from them. 

Edward slouched low in the seat with his arms crossed. "Or what," he scoffed under his breath.

Sig used the oars to push off from the dock. “Or you can swim home.” 

Ed shuffled his feet but said nothing else, and sure enough the two of them didn’t fight for the whole rest of the trip. Sig felt approval and relief - he was glad he was getting through Ed’s brattiness.

When it came to the actual fishing, Sig showed the boys how to tie on the hooks, how to bait them, and then how to cast. They were interrupted momentarily when Edward pricked himself on his hook. The boy said a word no nine-year-old should know before sticking his thumb in his mouth and glaring at the offending piece of metal.

"Be  _ careful, _ brother," Alphonse chastised him.

"Shut up," Ed grumbled around his thumb.

"Let me see," Sig said, holding out his hand to distract them from further argument.

Ed reluctantly pulled his thumb from his mouth and warily offered it for Sig to inspect.

"The bleeding's stopped already," Sig observed; his tone betrayed none of the surprise he felt. "You'll be fine."

"Granny Pinako says I heal quick," Ed boasted, wiping his hand on his shirt.

Sig hummed. Curious.

"Yeah, which we only know because you run around and get hurt all the time," Al said, exasperated. "You're so reckless."

While Ed fumed at that, Sig picked up the fallen hook and held it out to Ed so he could try again. He took it begrudgingly and they all got their first casts off without further incident.

The boys chattered to each other while they waited for a bite. Sig was content to sit and listen as he watched the rippling surface of the water. He liked to fish as a hobby, and normily it was a silent, solitary affair for him. Having the boys along brought a different atmosphere, but he found he didn't enjoy it any less.

At the end of their excursion, they had five fish between the three of them. Al announced this to Izumi, who was reading in bed when they returned, and the way that she smiled softly at him brought a warmth to Sig’s chest. 

He instructed the brothers on how to clean and prepare the fish, showing them how to hold the knife safely and effectively. When he explained that a knife is a tool that can be used for many things, but can also be turned into something dangerous without the proper care, the brothers nodded solemnly in understanding. 

“Like alchemy,” Al piped. 

Sig nodded and tossed away the spine of the fish they were de-boning. “Like alchemy,” he agreed.

Once the fish were prepped, Ed asked if they could be excused, so Sig sent them off to play while he cooked dinner.

“Teacher, what book are you reading? Can we still have an alchemy lesson today?” 

Ed’s voice drifted down the hall while Sig washed his hands. He shut off the tap, wondering if he needed to shoo them away from the bedroom.

“This is  _ The Theory and Application of Transmutative Science  _ by Anthony Keller _. _ Hop up, both of you. Why don’t we read together?” Izumi’s voice was strong enough to carry - a good sign.

“Isn’t Anthony Keller the person who wrote  _ Calculation and Construction of Alchemic Reactions?”  _ That was Al.

“I’m surprised you’re familiar with his work. That’s fairly advanced.”

The rest of the conversation was drowned out as Sig turned the tap back on to rinse the vegetables. The tittering of young voices accompanied by the mellow, mature tones of his wife served as his backdrop to his cooking, and he felt warmer for it. What a funny little family they’d become, after such a short amount of time.

That night, as they were getting ready for bed, Izumi asked how the fishing trip went. “They really are interesting kids,” Sig answered. 

Izumi snuggled up against his side, laying her head on his chest. “They’re smart little buggers. Stubborn, too.”

“Reminds me of you,” he rumbled. She chuckled at that.

They both slept soundly, with no coughing to be heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have..... 1 more chapter idea for this fic sddkjgnsjgksdg i haven't started writing it yet so i'm just going to leave this fic as complete for now, but i just figured i would say. another chapter might come. maybe. we'll see. thanks for reading!


End file.
